Wednesday August 27, 2014 HERALD WAITAKI By NICOLA WOLFE ore and more families are choosing to settle in Oamaru, Waitaki Newcomers Network co-ordinator Christine Dorsey says. The network, which supports newcomers to the district, has welcomed 56 new families to Oamaru since the beginning of the year. In February alone, Dorsey met with 18 new families who moved to the district, her biggest influx yet, followed by 10 in June and seven in July. But Dorsey believes they are only scratching the surface. ‘‘These are the numbers of people that come in contact with or who contact us – lots of people still don’t know we are here.’’ There may also be many newcomers who come to town already connected to and supported by community or cultural groups, she says. A Statistics New Zealand report showed the district is slowly but steadily growing in population and diversity. According to data collected dur- ing the 2013 census, the population rose to 20,829 in 2013 from 20,223 in 2008 – an increase of 606 people or 3 per cent. Dorsey says the increase doesn’t seem to follow a particular trend, with families migrating from across New Zealand and a variety of international places for a variety of reasons. ‘‘Some are looking for work, some have decided Oamaru is a great place to raise family,’’ she says. ‘‘Some move because of the nature, the harbour, the beaches, the lakes and still others because of the steampunk side of things. ‘‘There are lots of comments about how diverse the community is.’’ Nor is there a particular age group that is drawn to the town. ‘‘There is a real mixture – young families, couples without children, middle-aged singles, retirees,’’ she says. Dorsey says about 80 per cent of newcomers are nationals with the biggest group coming out of Christchurch. ‘‘People are still getting settled after the earthquake,’’she says. Still, about 20 per cent of newcomers are choosing to settle in Oamaru. Waitaki Multicultural Council migrant support co-ordinator Jojan McLeod, who works with Dorsey, has recently welcomed $75K PLAYGROUND MAKEOVER PAGE 4 The power of attraction M Settling in: Waitaki Multicultural Council migrant support co-ordinator Jojan McLeod, left and Waitaki Newcomers Network co-ordinator Christine Dorsey say they have welcomed a large number of new people to the district this year. eight people from Chile as well as others from Ukraine, France and Ireland. The Tongan and Filipino communities still continue to grow steadily as well, she says. ‘‘They really like the feel [of Oamaru]. It’s got the mountains and the sea. It’s really well situ- Photo: NICOLA WOLFE/FAIRFAX NZ ated,’’ she says. ‘‘Also, we let our kids bike to school. In many places that’s unheard of.’’ The influx of different cultures is good for the district, she says. ‘‘They bring with them their own festivities and food – it makes Oamaru a more exciting place.’’